Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari(R)arrived in Tehran Saturday afternoon, kicking off his landmark official visit to the former foe neighbor.(Xinhua photo)

Visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari(L) shaking hands with Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref. (Xinhua photo)

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari(L) talks with Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref. (Xinhua photo)

   TEHRAN, July 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari arrived here Saturday afternoon, kicking off his landmark official visit to the former foe neighbor.

   Jaafari, leading a large delegation including 12 ministerial-level officials according to the Iranian state television, will hold talks with top Iranian officials on economic and political cooperation.

   Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref held an official welcome ceremony at the Sa'dabad Cultural Complex (Palace of the former Shah) in the north of Tehran soon after Jaafari's arrival.

   Then the two leaders held the first round of talks, during which they both called for promotion of the bilateral relations.

   "Ties with Iran cannot be ignored in Iraq's diplomacy," Jaafari said.

   Due to the sensitiveness of the bilateral relations and the visit, Jaafari's delegation members were all ordered to remain tightlipped, reluctant to answer any questions.

   "We are not allowed to make any comments," one official waiting outside the negotiating hall said.

   Jaafari is the highest Iraqi official visiting Iran since the downfall of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The visit is also the diplomatic intercommunion of the highest level between the two countries since the outbreak of the 1980-1988 war.

   Meanwhile, it is the first time that Jaafari visits Iran as prime minister. He made several visits to the eastern neighbor when he served as vice-president of the interim Iraqi government after Saddam Hussein's downfall.

   Under Saddam's reign, Jaafari used to stay in Iran for nearly 10 years under asylum. He has been viewed to hold a more friendly and cooperative attitude toward Iran.

   The official IRNA news agency said that Jaafari is scheduled to hold talks with President Mohammad Khatami and Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi during his three-day visit.

   Predictably, the Iraqi prime minister will also meet Iran's Supreme Leader Seyed Ali Khamenei and President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an informed source said.

   During Jaafari's historical visit, several agreements will be expectantly inked to promote bilateral cooperation in different fields.

   Jaafari's visit marked a culmination of the recent intensive diplomatic activities between the two neighbors, which was pioneered by Kharrazi's visit to Iraq in mid-May.

   Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiar Zebari, who is also a member of Jaafari's accompanying delegation, has said that Kharrazi's visit ushered in "a new start in bilateral ties."

   Iraqi Defense Minister Sadoun Dulaimi just paid a visit to Iran on July 6-8, during which the two countries agreed to cooperate in military as well as anti-terrorist fields.

   Iran has been keeping a close watch on the developments of the Iraqi situation since the Iraqi war in 2003.

   The United States accuses Tehran of interfering in Iraq's internal affairs with its influence upon the Shiites in the country, a charge categorically denied by Iran.

   The two neighbors fought a disastrous war from 1980 to 1988, during which totally more than 500,000 people were killed. Enditem